Observations of the legal scene from the Cornhusker State, home of Roscoe Pound and Justice Clarence Thomas' in-laws, and beyond.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Divorced wife sought increased child support and alimony from stock broker ex-husband in 2006 from the Scotts Bluff County District court following their divorce in 2002. The husband now lived in India working for Lehman Brothers and earned $550,000 per year plus extra "expatriate compensation" of nearly $10,000 per year. The wife went from earning about $29000 per year soon after the divorce to nothing as of the time she filed the modification. The Nebraska Supreme Court agrees to the District Corut's increase of child support to $4,250 per month for two children and $3,250 per month for one child. T he court denied, however, Lana’s request to increase R obert’s alimony obligation. Nebraska Supreme Court agrees to the child support increase, but denies the alimony increase. Also although the expatriate compensation counts as income for child support purposes the trial court correctly deviated from the guidelines when it accounted for the husbands increased expenses while working in India, including nearly $8000 monthly rent, hiring a private driver and expensive plane trips home. Simpson v. Simpson,S-06-1461, 275 Neb. 152
"The evidence reflects that the additional living expenses incurred by R obert while living in
Mumbai are significant. A mong those expenses are rental paymentsof $7,905 per month. R obert’s employer would not allowhim to drive a car in India, and he therefore had to employ a
full-time driver. A lso, each trip to and from the United States for holidays, visitation, et cetera, cost $3,000 to $6,000 per trip in airfare. T hese are additional expenses that R obert would